Quality control at the factory can be thought of as the final line of defense.
At all our factories, in Japan, Indonesia, and China, we implement “Made in Japan” levels of quality and reliability that are recognized around the world.
Development of Factories for "Made in Japan" Quality
Taking Heed of Warning Signs to Pre-Empt Problems
The Quality Assurance Department at headquarters has practices in place so that even the most minor abnormalities are not overlooked. This is done by monitoring and analyzing the numbers obtained by the centralized collection of quality data from all factories. If a warning sign indicating a potential problem is detected when the data is analyzed, for example, they work with the factory to look for the cause and take steps to bring the numbers back into the normal range. They also disseminate information by sharing it with other production facilities. Their work extends beyond collecting numbers to obtaining sample products for inspection.
A speedy response is essential given the nature of factory problems, where a single mistake can lead to the dispatch of faulty products. As there are cases of problems on site that do not show up in the data, such as parts not fitting together properly, meetings are held between each factory and headquarter to discuss design enhancements and overall quality improvement activities.
Working with Overseas Factories on Local Human Development
Along with active measures for training overseas staff that involve sending staff from Japan to the factories in Indonesia and China, the company also invites staff in leadership roles to Japan for training when new products are developed. This training provides a way to gather feedback and suggestions from overseas staff and helps with the development of high-quality products that are easy to build.
Triple Checking to Obtain Reliable Supply from Parts Vendors
In order to obtain a reliable supply of parts with uniform high quality, Ricoh is building collaborative relationships with its parts vendors, which number in the hundreds, on the basis of common goals. Parts vendors comply with quality standards that document work procedures and processes, and provide inspection data with all the parts they supply. The data is also sent to the Quality Assurance Department, which checks for problems in the manufacturing process and provides advice to the parts vendors or audits them if necessary. The factories also have copies of quality standards and conduct compliance checks on newly delivered parts as well as conduct sample inspections as necessary.
In this way, the Quality Assurance Department and factories evaluate purchased parts objectively and encourage parts vendors to improve quality.
